labor lawAdivision of labor law center

An article in a recent edition of a safety magazine sanctioned by the state addresses concerns the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has over the widespread use of forklifts on industrial job sites.

The Maryland worker safety office, OSHA, cites concerns for the dangerous situations that occur when the latest federal and state standards for forklift operation are not followed.  Forklifts are one of the most commonly used pieces of machinery used on the job and are the source of most serious injuries sustained by workers.  Tragically, the improper operation of forklifts is the main cause of deaths in industrial settings, too.

Forklifts are known by other names, most often referred to as Powered Industrial Trucks (PITs) and fork trucks.  They are manufactured in a number of different styles and sizes but they all perform the same basic operation and safety is a must when operating them.

Perhaps the key to safely operating a forklift is mindfulness of the machine’s center of gravity.  Loading the machine in a manner where the weight of the load is off center, too far forward, or otherwise unbalanced will diminish the stability of the forklift and its load.  This unbalanced load may lead to damage of the machine and the load and is likely to jeopardize the safety of the operator, too.

The proper loading of the forklift is not only a safety issue that affects the operator, however.  Bystanders can be seriously hurt if the forklift tips over or drops its load in the direction of anyone in the immediate vicinity.

Each forklift, or PIT, comes with the maximum load weight clearly indicated on the forklift’s data plate.  There may be circumstances when a forklift needs to be modified or retrofitted to include additional parts or attachments.

Any modifications whatsoever made to the machinery must be approved in advance and clearly documented before the modifications can legally be made.  The details of these modifications, approved in writing, must be affixed to the equipment’s data plate before operating the machinery with these modifications. 

I had no trouble finding the Maryland (MD) Labor Laws online. They are numerous, but very similar to the labor laws found in the other states in the US. These laws have been put into effect to benefit both employers and employees. Many of the MD Labor laws are required to be posted in Maryland work places. These Maryland Labor Law Posters need to be place where employees have access to them. Employers in the state tend to put them in conspicuous areas where employees go often, like the employee break room or the walls around the time clock.

The first of the MD labor laws which I studied dealt with the state’s minimum wage. In Maryland, the minimum wage is currently $6.15 per hour. This rate went into affect in February of 2006. Tipped employees do not have to be paid the minimum wage to start, but can be paid $3.08 per hour, so long as they make up the difference in tips each month. If the tips and employee receives does not raise the employee to the minimum wage level, the employer must supplement the wage.

Overtime pay is also written into the MD labor laws. With a few exceptions, workers will be paid one and one half times normal pay when they work over 40 hours in one work week. Some of the workers that are exempt from both the minimum wage and the overtime pay laws are agricultural workers, executives, and those employees of non-profit organizations.

Child labor laws make up some of the more detailed MD labor laws. These Maryland child labor laws determine the minimum age a minor can being working, how many and which hours each day a minor may work, and the maximum number of hours each week the minor can work. These laws also restrict some jobs from being filled by a minor. Restricted jobs are considered to be hazardous.

I hope you have found this brief overview of the MD labor laws helpful. Detailed information about the MD labor laws can be found on the Maryland labor law posters. When you need both federal and state labor law posters, you can find a copy of the Maryland Complete Labor Law poster.

In reviewing Maryland labor laws, I have noticed there are a number of statutes on the books that may be of interest to both employers and employees. Let’s take a look at a few of these laws.

Did you know that in Maryland, employees must be paid at least once every two weeks or twice per month? Executive, professional and administrative employees are, however, exempt from this rule and may be paid less frequently. Maryland labor law does provide for a state minimum wage of $6.15 per hour. Some businesses are exempt from the law, such as employees of movie theaters, and employees of small restaurants and cafes with less than $250,000 per year of gross income. Tipped employees may be paid no less than $3.08 per hour, and their average hourly income with tips and wage included must at least meet the minimum wage.

Employment rules for minors are often a topic of interest. Under Maryland labor laws, minors under 18 must get a work permit. There are also two sets of work-hour restrictions, one for 14 and 15 year olds, and another for 16 and 17 year olds. The restrictions for 14 and 15 year olds are in some cases less strict than federal laws. So, if an employer is required to adhere to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the more restrictive federal law must be followed.

Many states have occupational safety and health statutes as a part of their labor code, and the Maryland labor law is no exception. The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health division carries out enforcement of a variety of state laws and federal standards designed to maintain a safe, healthful and hazard-free workplace. Employers may be inspected and fined if they do not meet these standards.

Maryland labor law contains many other provisions to benefit employees, including workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, apprenticeship standards, and prevailing wages for public works constructions projects. You may find the Maryland Complete Labor Law poster to be a helpful summary of these state labor laws, as well as applicable federal laws on the subject.